Pocket-recorder.



Patenitd July 3, |900.

E. Mc L. LONG. POCKET RECORDER.

(Application filed Apr. 4, 1899. Renewed Mar. 29, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(N0 Model.)

(a/'0451400000 f6 Q. @M74 .woraumu wuumamu. u, c,

N0. 653,l04. 'Patnted July 3, |900.

' E. MCL. LONG.

POCKET RECORDER.

(Application led Apr. 4, 1899. Renewed Mar. 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. ,F7 .2 ,/V' M NITED e STATES- ?PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE MOLEAN LONG, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

POCKET-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,104, dated July 3,1900.

Application filed April 4,1899. Renewed Maroih2l9,1900. Serial No.10,701. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE MOLEAN LONG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington,in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Pocket Type-Writers; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in recorders, andespecially to a pocket recording device in which are provided a seriesof keys which are adapted to be operated by the fingers of one hand of aperson while held in the pocket, whereby i1n` pressions are made by thetype carried by said keys on a tape of paper which is auto maticallywound from onereel to another and adjacent to a cushion-block againstwhich the type of the key is forced, a suitable inkingribbon beinginterposed between the coil of paper and the cushion-block.

More specifically the invention resides ina series of vkeys which arespring-actuated and adapted at each depression of any one of the keys tocause a vertical dash to be printed on the paper and each key, accordingto the pressure which is applied to it, being adapted to print either adot or a dash, as the case may require, said vertical dash being merely4a guide to show the relative positions of the dots and dashes which aremade by the keys. By this device it is my purpose to print by means of acode of dots and dashes suflcient characters to record any conversation.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the sameconsists, further, in the `novel construction, combination,

l and adaptation of parts, as will be hereinaftermore fully describedand then specifically dened in the appended claims.

My invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which,with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisapplication, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicatelike parts i throughout the several views, in which- `oted thereto.

:lend passing over the reel C'. served in the drawings, the shaftcarrying the Areel C is preferably hexagonal shape and fits Figure lis aperspective View of my pocket recording device, showing the same held inthe hand of the operator. cal sectional view through the casing, showingthe mechanism in side elevation therein. Fig. 3 is a sectional view online efof Fig. 2 looking down on the levers. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsectional View on line h la of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section online a o of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line c d of Fig. 2;and Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail in perspective of the member whichprints the vertical dashes, showing the ratchet-pawl piv- Reference nowbeing had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates thecasing of my pocket recording device, which is preferably of rectangularshape, and mounted `on horizontal stub-shafts B and B in said casing arethe reels C and C', upon one of which,

as C, the strip of paper D is wound, the other Asvwill be obasimilar-shaped aperture in the reel C', causing both to rotate together,and the ratchet- `wheel D is mounted on said shaft and rotates with thereel C'. Between said reels isa standard E. This standard has arms E2,in which are journaled stub-shafts F, on which `the inking-ribbon E'Winds, and on the upper end of said standard is disposed a rubber:cushion G, the upper surface of which cushion is adjacent to theinking-ribbonlEQ as clearly shown in FigQ of the drawings.

J ournaled in opposite longitudinal Walls of the casing are thestub-shafts H, on which are mounted the levers K, which are prefer.-ablyL-shaped and carry 'at their free ends lthe type K', which areutilized in making impressions on the recording-stripD. At each end ofthe casing,V on its inner walls, are the springs L, the free ends ofwhich bear yieldingly against the outer ends of said levers, asV shownclearly in Fig.` 2 of the drawings, these springs being provided toreturn the levers to their starting positions after being depressed forthe purpose of causing an impres-4 sion to be made on therecording-strip. In

order to limit the upward throw of said levers, p

stops M are provided, against which the up- Fig. 2 is a verti,

IOO

per edges of the levers strike after being depressed and thrown back totheir normal positions under tension of the springs L. It will be notedupon examination of Fig. 6 of the drawings that the lugs or type K' oneach of said levers are in contact with one another and their free endsare tapered to a ridge with an apex, as K2, which when being lightlydepressed against the cushion, between which and the said type has beeninterposed an inking-ribbon and recording-strip, will cause a dot to beprinted, but under greater pressure will cause ahorizontal dash to beprinted on the recording-strip. Each of these levers, which are ofsimilar construction, have similarshaped type, there being preferablyfour numbers corresponding to the four fingers of one hand of theoperator, and by depressing one or the other of these type a dot or dashmay be printed in any one of the four positions with relation to thevertical dash, which is printed at each depression of any one of thefour keys. In order to guide the keys, the

' blocks T are provided, which bear against the outer faces of the outerkeys, as shown plainly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Mounted on said leversare the keys N, the upper edges of which are preferably iiush with theedge of the casing containing the recording mechanism. One side of thecasing A is hinged, as at a., so as to allow of access being had to theparts within the casing.

The lever which prints the vertical dashes is designated in the drawingsby letter Q and is pivoted to a shaft Q and has the type P arranged atthe free end of said lever and directly over the cushion against whichtheimpression is made. A spring Q2 bears yieldingly against the outerportion of lever Q to return same to its normal position after its innerend has been depressed, andas the lever returns to its starting ornormal position the strip of paper is wound on the reel C'. Pivoted tothe opposite end of said lever is a pawl R, the hooked end of which isdesigned to engage with the teeth on the circumference of theratchet-wheel D', and a spring R is secured to the casing and has itsfree end bearing against said pawl vin order to keep the hooked end ofthe latter in engagement with theteeth of the'ratchet. In order to allowsaid reel to rotate in only one direction, a pawl S is provided, whichengages with the teeth of the ratchet, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

To make it convenient for removing the lange S2 from its shaft or axleB, I provide the wedge-shaped hub S on the iange S2, which fits snuglyin the aperture in the reel C, in the space between said reel and thesleeve of the head S2, and by forcing this wedgeshaped hub portion intosaid space, the flanges will clamp against the edges of the reel C, as

' will be understood and as illustrated in Fig. 4.

of the drawings.

' The instrument is operated as follows: By

pressing in one of the keys a type lis brought in contact with theinking-ribbon under which rests the recording-strip of paper on whichthe impression is to be made. This contact prints Iirst a vertical dashwhen either of the four keys is depressed, and by applying a greater orless pressure to any one of said keys either a dot or a horizontal dash(with reference to said vertical dash) is printed. As the type end ofthe lever Q is depressed the pawl, which is always held in contact withthe teeth of the ratchet-Wheel, is raised one tooth, and on thereturnmovement of said type, carried by the lever O to its normalposition, a partial revolution is imparted to the reel on which therecording-strip is wound, thus making room for the next character to beprinted. From the foregoing it will be noted that by bringing intocombination with the vertical dash either the dot in four positions orthe dash in four vpositions relative to the vertical dash a completecode is produced, whereby any conversation may be taken down andnumerals and other signs recorded, and I am able by this arrangement ofkeyboard not only to make letters as described, but also to make theletters of the Morse telegraph alphabet with a slight alteration in thepositions of the dots and the dashes. Itis at once evident that the useof the comloination of keys herein described may, if for any reason itshould be desired, be in connection with characters other than thosedescribed, or Roman type may be used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desireto secure by l. A pocket recording device comprising in combination withthe casing and reels mounted therein, the ratchet-wheel secured to one`of said reels, a standard, an impression-block mounted between thereels and over which a recording-strip is designed to pass, the L-shaped type-carrying levers pivoted at their angled ends, of springsbearing yieldingly against said ends, each of said type having a pointedapex and designed when pressed lightly to make a dot and under a heavierpressure to make a dash, a vertical dash-printing lever pivoted to thecasing, and a pawl pivoted to its outer end and spring designed to holdthe hooked end of said pawl in engagement with the ratchet-wheel on thereel at the depression of any one of said keys.

2. In a pocket recording device, the combination with the easing, thestandard, the

impression-block mounted thereon, reels, and a ratchet-wheel secured toone of said reels,the pivoted keys and type carried thereby, the leverpivoted to the casing and having a vertical dash-printing type integralwith one end of said lever, which is disposed underneath the series oflevers adapted to be actuated 'whenever any one of said type-levers isoperated, the pawl pivoted to said lever and designed to engage with theteeth of said ratchet- IOO IIO

actuated when any of said keys are depressed, I5 and means for operatingthe reels as the keys are depressed.

4. A pocket type-writer comprising a cas ing, printing mechanism andnger-keys, 1ocated and constructed so that the instrument 2o may be heldin and operated by one hand, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE MCLEAN LONG.

Witnesses:

MARSHALL F. CAPRON, MALCOLM WIKsTRoM.

